Former Caley Thistle director of football Graeme Bennett believes tomorrow’s extraordinary general meeting will provide overdue clarity on the club’s financial challenges.
Inverness, who are in their third successive season in the Championship, have called tomorrow’s EGM in order to update shareholders on plans to increase revenues.
Caley Jags are keen to secure new investment, with the resignation of chairman Graham Rae and director Alan McPhee last week spelling the end of the Muirfield Mills consortium’s financial backing, which has amounted to £1.1 million since 2012.
Bennett spent 12 years on Caley Jags’ board before standing down in 2013, during which he also served as director of football and vice-chairman.
Although he does not expect all to be rosy, Bennett says the meeting will allow Caley Thistle chief executive Scot Gardiner to press ahead with an action plan for the club.
Bennett said: “I’m quite confident how it will play out. Scot can get people around the table and explain things to them. People have been a bit concerned but I’m quite happy he’s telling us what’s going on.
“I know it’s not all going to be good news, but at least we will be getting news. I just feel over the last wee while we haven’t been getting that.
“I think it’s going to be quite a positive meeting, while at a lot of the AGMs lately the atmosphere has been pretty toxic. We’ve been asking questions nobody could answer.
“Scot Gardiner has raised the concerns. I’m disappointed he has had to raise them, they should maybe have been raised before now.
“Now the facts are going to be laid out. We are not at the stage of a Bury or a Bolton yet, but at least Scot will be highlighting what we have got to do.”
Bennett hopes Gardiner, who has been in his role since replacing Yvonne Crook in April, will receive a positive response from interested parties.
Bennett added: “I’ve been very impressed with Scot, he has been very transparent at the club and he’s been speaking to the major shareholders and other people.
“There’s a fair bit of interest, and most of the major shareholders will be there to listen to what he has got to say. Hopefully the shareholders give him the support he requires.
“As long as we know where we are at and what we have got to do I think they will get the backing of the shareholders.
“They are right to call the meeting, and it will be interesting to see what comes out of it. I’m quite confident the club will have a positive light and move forward.”
Bennett says youth development is at the heart of his priorities, adding: “If I had a preferred option I would have to put the onus on the youth, if there’s a decision that has to be made.
“From speaking to major shareholders, youth is their priority. They have got to try and keep that and then try to accommodate everything else somehow.”